STUDIES ON THE EFFICACY OF COMBINED IMMUNOSTIMULANT-ANTIBIOTIC THERAPY AGAINST EXPERIMENTAL MYCOPLASMA GALLISEPTICUM INFECTION IN CHICKENS

Abstract

Avian mycoplasmosis has been a major source of losses to the poultry industry. Currently used chemo­ therapy fails to eradicate the microorganisms from tissues of infected birds. The disease always tends to take a chronic persistent course resulting in high condemnation and down grading of carcasses of infected birds. In this present-study we evaluate the efficacy of using josamycin an antibio ic which becomes selectively concentrated intracellularly and in respiratory organs the habitat of mycoplasmas. Also the possible use of immunostimulant to increase efficiency of antibiotics was evaluated. Two separate experiments were conducted. In each experiment six groups of twenty birds each were used. Birds were artificially infected with Mycoplasma gallisepticum and given non-specific immunostimulant alone ( ultracorn) ( Corynebacterium cutis- ultralysate) or antibiotics therapy alone josamycin or lincomycin - spectinomycin or combined antibiotic - immunostimulant. Birds were subjected to immunological examination (slide agglutination and haemagglutination inhibition titres) cultural examination for reisolation of Myco­ plasma gallisepticum, haematological examination and pathological examination for determination of the sever­ ity of air sacculitis and its incidence.